June 23
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PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON
A poem by ILMA
One day Paul and Silas were going down to the place of prayer
They met a slave girl who had a spirit that made her tell the future
She earned a lot of money for her masters by doing fortune telling
She shouted to the crowd “These men of God will tell you how to be saved.”
This went on for days until Paul got so annoyed and turned to the demon in her
“I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her” was Paul’s words
And then it left her but her masters were angry and dragged the apostles and said
“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!”, they shouted to the officials.
A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas and they were beaten and imprisoned
The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape and their feet were clamped
The prisoners heard Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to God about midnight
Suddenly, a massive earthquake shook the prison to its foundations and doors opened.
Chains of every prisoner fell off and the jailer woke up to see prison doors wide open
He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself
Paul stopped him and reassured the jailer that they were all there and he was shocked
He fell down before Paul and asked the apostles what he needed to do to be saved.
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MEMORY VERSE
What must I do to be saved? – Acts 16:30
Read: Paul and Silas had been doing miracles while they preached the Good News of our salvation. It is amazing to hear them confront demons and they run away from them because of the presence of God’s Spirit in them. Those prisoners who witnessed God’s power in opening the prison doors and unchaining them must have turned them to God.
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REFLECTION
• What does it take for us to be able to bring people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?
• Why was the fortune teller servant girl’s master angered when the girl’s demon was sent out of the girl?
Tag Archives: Acts 16
PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY Poem Devotional
June 22
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PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY
A poem by ILMA
Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra where Timothy was
Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer but his father was Greek
Timothy was well though of by believers, so Paul asked him to join them
In deference to the Jews of the area, he asked him to be circumcised.
Then they went from town to town, instructing believers to follow
So, the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew
Next, Paul and Silas traveled through Phrygia and Galatia
The Holy Spirit prevented them from preaching in Asia.
Paul had a vision about a man from Macedonia pleading him to come
So, they decided to leave for Macedonia at once to preach the Good News
On a Sabbath, they went to a riverbank hoping to preach at the women
They met Lydia who was purple cloth merchant and accepted Paul’s teaching.
Lydia’s whole household were baptized and invited them to be her guests
“If you agree that I a a true believer, come and stay at my home” was her words
Then Paul met a slave girl who was earning money from fortune telling
Paul rebuked and asked the evil spirit to come out of her and it left her.
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MEMORY VERSE
“If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. – Acts 16:15
Read: Acts 16
In this second missionary Journey of Paul and Silas, we witness the proof of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their mission. They were led by the Spirit of God to go or not to proceed in a place and they followed the Spirit’s lead. We meet an extraordinary generous and hospitable woman named Lydia who became a believer and opened her house to the apostles.
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REFLECTION
• Why is hospitality an important gift of the Spirit? What does it make others feel?